Cyberai SFS: future operations, resilience, and career ecosystem

The National Science Foundation Division of Graduate Education awarded the University of West Florida $1.742 million on August 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to establish the CyberAI Scholarship for Service: Future Operations, Resilience, and Career Ecosystem (CyberAI SFS FORCE) program.

UWF will recruit, educate, and place 16 CyberAI scholars from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs to address the national need for cybersecurity professionals with expertise in artificial intelligence and AI-enabled systems defense. The program will deliver an integrated curriculum combining cybersecurity, AI and machine learning, secure and trustworthy AI, and AI-enabled cyber defense. Scholars will participate in hands-on learning through the Florida Cyber Range, research experiences, internships, competitions, and faculty-mentored projects to develop technical and professional competencies for emerging CyberAI work roles. UWF will prepare scholars for service in government organizations and advance knowledge of effective CyberAI education through rigorous evaluation of student learning, workforce readiness, and career outcomes. The university leverages its designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and its leadership position as one of the first institutions with an approved NCAE Cyber-AI program of study.

Performance of work occurs in Pensacola, Florida, with a period of performance from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2029.

Abstract

The university of west florida (UWF) will establish the cyberai scholarship for service: future operations, resilience, and career ecosystem (cyberai SFS force) program to educate, prepare, and place the next generation of cybersecurity professionals with expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity. As AI increasingly transforms cyber operations, government agencies require professionals who can both leverage AI to strengthen cybersecurity and secure AI-enabled systems against emerging threats. Cyberai SFS force addresses this critical national need by recruiting, educating, and supporting 16 cyberai scholars from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs and preparing them for service in government organizations. The project directly supports national priorities in cybersecurity, AI innovation, and workforce development, contributing to the security, resilience, and competitiveness of the united states. The program builds on UWF?S designation as a national center of academic excellence (NCAE) in cyber defense and its leadership in cyberai education as one of the first institutions with an approved NCAE cyber-AI program of study. The recruited scholars will complete an integrated curriculum that combines cybersecurity, AI and machine learning, secure and trustworthy AI, and AI-enabled cyber defense. Through hands-on learning in the florida cyber range, research experiences, internships, competitions, and faculty mentored projects, participants will develop the technical and professional competencies required for emerging cyberai work roles. The project will advance knowledge of effective cyberai education through rigorous evaluation of student learning, workforce readiness, and career outcomes. Cyberai SFS force will strengthen the nation?S cybersecurity workforce by increasing the number of professionals capable of protecting critical systems, securing AI technologies, and applying AI to enhance cyber operations. The project will broaden participation through outreach to community colleges, military-affiliated students, and other talent pipelines. Educational resources, curricula, and best practices will be shared nationally through conferences and the clark repository, enabling adoption by other institutions. By creating a sustainable ecosystem linking education, research, and government service, cyberai SFS force will advance the nation?S cybersecurity capabilities, support economic prosperity, and enhance national defense and resilience. This project is supported by the cyberaicorps scholarship for service (cyberai SFS) program which funds proposals to increase national capacity to educate and train professionals in artificial intelligence (AI) or cybersecurity, and to support their placement and retention in the cyberai mission of government organizations. The scholarship track funds academic institutions to award scholarships to students in exchange for their government service. The innovation track seeks transformative education proposals in the areas of AI, cybersecurity, or the integration of AI and cybersecurity. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.